SbSI (ferroelectric antimony sulfo-iodide) in its crystal form exhibits the Curie temperature around room temperature (the Curie temperature is the temperature above which a material loses its ferroelectricity). SbSI simultaneously exhibits both semiconductor and ferroelectric properties. Although the crystal form of SbSI has been studied, SbSI thin films have not been examined as extensively. Attempts have been made to form thin films of SbSI by e-beam evaporation, flash evaporation, and thermal evaporation. These techniques have produced thin films but these thin films are nonstoichiometric and amorphous. Thus, these films fail to fully exhibit the physical properties of SbSI.
Attempts have been made to form thin films of SbSI through the use of physical vapor transport (PVT) onto a substrate, typically a Pt/Ta/SiO.sub.2 /Si substrate (platinum/tantalum/silicon dioxide/silicon substrate). While this technique can form thin films of SbSI, the crystal structure tends to be random in nature and thus does not fully exhibit all the desirable properties of SbSI. What is needed is a method and system for growing high quality SbSI thin films.